Accessing Pupil Premium & Free School Meals


The pupil premium is a funding stream given to schools by the Government. It is used to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed at school by helping to remove any barriers caused by the disadvantages that can occur as a result of home circumstances. It is available for students who meet the following criteria and is given directly to the school:
  • Receive free school meals
  • Have received free school meals at any time in the past six years
  • Have a parent or parents in the armed services
  • Are Looked After
  • Have been adopted


What is the funding used for?

The funding is used to make sure that students do not fall behind their peers because they are disadvantaged in some way. Decisions are made on an individual basis but schools have to show that spending is directed to things that have a proven track record of success and that will have a clear and positive effect on the individual.

Ensuring full attendance, as well as ensuring that all students make progress in literacy and numeracy remain priorities. Examples include:
  • Free access to the school breakfast club which provides a healthy breakfast
  • Extra support in key subjects like Maths and English
  • Support with key items of school equipment and uniform
  • Healthy meals and snacks
  • Resources to support curriculum activities such as food ingredients and revision guides
  • Extra-curricular activities such as free running, music tuition and the Duke of Edinburgh Award -

          click here

  • School trips - potential for subsidies to be offered
  • Counselling and mentoring

It is intended that these elements of support will give eligible students full access to the curriculum.


Why is it important for you to claim funding?

The school will receive additional funding based on the number of children who receive pupil premium. We are requesting that all parents and carers make a claim for Pupil Premium funding if they believe that they may be entitled to do so. As you will agree, the children at our school can only benefit if we are able to attract additional funding. Not only that, our catering team provides an excellent range of healthy lunch options that are enjoyed daily by a significant number of our pupils. Your child may well be able to access these free of charge too, together with other services such as those listed above.


How do parents register their child’s entitlement for Pupil Premium?

For your child’s school to access pupil premium funding parents must apply for free school meals via Nottinghamshire County Council - see below.


What is free school meals?

  • Free School Meals is an allowance which the school gets to provide your child with a free nutritious meal everyday.
  • £2.35 can be accessed on your child’s SQUID account every day for them to spend on their meal.
  • Your child can have either the hot meal of the day which includes a pudding and a drink or the sandwich meal deal which includes a drink and a snack such as fruit or a cookie.
  • No one knows that your child is getting a free school meal apart from school staff as all students pay for their meals using the SQUID fingerprint system. 


What is the criteria to claim free school meals?

Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the qualifying benefits:
  • Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earning from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guarantee element of Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after the person stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit)


Registering for free school meals

Register online

The information needed to register includes:
  • personal details (including national insurance number and date of birth) for the parent/carer
  • child’s details in full including their date of birth and the school they attend.

If eligible for free school meals and/or milk the start date will normally be within two working days of parents contacting us and entitlement being verified. 

If parents are unable to apply online, they should contact NCC on 0300 500 80 80 or click here for an application form

If you require additional help from school staff please contact us using this email address: staff@bruntsacademy.org

 

Finally, please send confirmation of acceptance for Free School Meals to Student Reception. (staffbrunts@bruntsacademy.org)